Divorce - Term of the Day

Posted on Sep 3, 2012 12:00am PDT

n. the termination of a marriage by legal action, requiring a petition
or complaint for divorce (or dissolution in some states, including California)
by one party. Some states still require at least a minimal showing of
fault, but no-fault divorce is now the rule in which “incompatibility”
is sufficient to grant a divorce. The substantive issues in divorces are
division of property, child custody and support, alimony (spousal support),
child visitation and attorney’s fees. Only state courts have jurisdiction
over divorces, so the petitioning or complaining party can only file in
the state in which he/she is and has been a resident for a period of time
(as little as six weeks in Nevada). In most states the period from original
filing for divorce, serving the petition on the other party and final
judgment (or decree) takes several months to allow for a chance to reconcile.

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